La Vie en Rose
by M'rika
Summary: "For the first time in a long while she was properly dressed up and sitting a proper restaurant. Of course, this was the first time she'd been in a proper restaurant with Ted."  Ted surprises Andromeda. In a good way. Oneshot.


An: okay, you need to know that Tom is Ted's best friend from Hogwarts and he shares a flat with Ted and Andromeda. I previously wrote about him in Fraternising is an Ugly word, but you don't have to read that to understand this. Also, I have checked on google and rendezvous is the plural of rendezvous. Just so you know. Enjoy.

La Vie en Rose

For the first time in a long while she was properly dressed up and sitting a proper restaurant. Of course, this was the first time she'd been in a proper restaurant with Ted. Her meagre pay and the pittance the government was giving him to train as a healer barely stretched to the pizza place around the corner from St Mungo's, never mind anywhere as posh as this.

She'd been used to having endless money and the real world had been somewhat of a shock. If it hadn't been for Ted, there would have been some days where she didn't eat. A couple of days in those first few months she actually hadn't eaten, having spent her money on shoes or a necklace or a simply gorgeous lamp, but when he'd discovered this, he'd made her sit down and work out a budget, and to promise that she would stick to it. He'd even got Tom in on the act, making sure she actually ate at mealtimes when Ted had to be at St Mungo's.

Tom was doing excellently at the ministry. A year after leaving school, he was no longer the Junior Undersecretary of the Upper Secretary of the Head of Muggle Relations, but the Upper secretary to the head of the Misuse of Muggle Objects, with talk of promotion to the second assistant to the head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He'd talk about endlessly with Andromeda until he realised he was boring her, and with a laugh he would shut up. Occasionally, she saw him at the National Wizarding Library, requesting access to particular books. As a junior researcher she was sometimes the one at the desk when he came, and it was always fun seeing friends at work.

But now she and Ted were at a good restaurant, her in a long dress, him in a suit. It was weird seeing him in a suit, because while she had to wear business wear at the Library, he could go to the hospital in jeans if he chose. She guessed it was probably easier to get blood stains out of jeans rather than suit trousers.

He looked at ease even though she was scrutinising him. "What?"

She smiled and shrugged. "It's just odd that we're here."

"I do like to take you to nice places sometimes, you know," he told her with an easy smile. His hair was tidy for once, she noticed. "If you'd rather go to a greasy spoon, I can cancel our order."

"No." She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Here is fine. Here is nice. Just…here is expensive."

Ted offered a smile. "It's why you're paying," he teased. "Fancy job at the library. And me just a humble apprentice."

"Healing's an important job," she replied, taking a sip of her wine. "When you qualify you'll make more money than I ever will at the library."

"Yeah, emphasis on when," he sighed, absentmindedly running a hand through his blonde hair, causing it to return to its natural messy state.

She reached across the table to take his hand. "It'll be fine," she told him. "Honest."

They stayed there a long time; eating, drinking, talking, laughing. When it came to paying, Ted simply handed over a credit card, and Andromeda wondered again about how he could afford it. He flashed a grin at her confused face. "I save," he told her, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. "I know our tiny flat and café rendezvous aren't exactly what you're used to."

"You know I don't mind. I'm fairly aware that neither of us has any money," she told him, holding his hand as they began to walk down the London streets. They stopped when they reached the Thames embankment, stopping to lean on the balustrade. She sighed and smiled. "London's so beautiful."

"So are you," he murmured, smiling at her.

She blushed, the action hidden in the semi darkness. "Thankyou."

"You know how we're poor," he began, laying a hand on top of hers that was resting on the balustrade.

"Yes," she replied, waiting for the rest of his sentence.

"Would you stay with me if I was rich?" he asked quietly.

"Of course." she said, then stopped. "Why? Have you won the lottery or something?"

"No," he said hurriedly, before grinning. "Just wanted you to have some practice."

"Practice at what?" she asked curiously, turning to face him more fully.

He swept his hair back once more, before dropping to one knee. A wide grin spread across his face and he produced a small black box from his jacket pocket. "Marry me."

She gaped at him, for some reason unable to comprehend what he was saying.

"I want to be with you for richer, for poorer, even if poorer's more likely. I want to be with you in sickness and in health, though if you do get sick I can help, cause…well, I'm going to be a healer one day. And I want to be with you for better and for worse, but" -here he smiled at her- "with us, it'll only ever be good. I promise."

Still dumbstruck, she nodded, a wide grin spreading across her face. He stood, placing the ring on her finger. It was too big, and swung round so the diamond chip faced her palm. She clenched her fist to stop it falling off, and covered him in kisses. He laughed and hugged her closely. "For richer, for poorer?" she asked, with a laugh, finally finding her voice. "Cheesy line Ted."

He kissed her. "I know," he said, pulling back and grinning. "But you love it."


End file.
